Germany, Poland, Sweden expel Russian diplomats in tit-for-tat moves

Germany, Poland and Sweden have expelled members of the Russian embassies in their countries in response to the expulsion of their diplomats in Russia last week.

The Russian diplomat in Berlin was declared persona non grata, according to the German Foreign Ministry.

Poland’s Foreign Ministry said on Twitter that it had expelled a Russian diplomat in response to the recent “unjustified expulsion” of a Polish diplomat in Russia.

The Russian diplomat declared persona non grata in Poland is an employee of the Russian consulate in Poznan.

“We have informed the Russian Ambassador that a person from the Russian embassy is asked to leave Sweden,” Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Twitter.

“This is a clear response to the unacceptable decision to expel a Swedish diplomat who was only preforming his duties,” she added.

The moves come after Russia expelled German, Polish and Swedish diplomats who it alleged attended a protest in support of jailed dissident Alexei Navalny.